Stratified Medicine
- MSc
- Video

Overview

The right treatment, for the right person, at the right time.

Summary

Stratified Medicine, also known as Personalised Medicine, is at the cutting edge of a new era for medicine. Our ability to understand how genes, lifestyle and environment can influence disease promises to revolutionise healthcare practices. Stratified Medicine relies on using biomarkers (e.g. genes or protein) to stratify (or split) patients into specific groups for diagnosing or treating diseases. The ideals of Stratified Medicine will be realised with the development of technologies and systems to predict disease, select the best treatment, and reduce side effects for individual patients. This approach to streamline healthcare provides more accurate clinical decision making tools to identify ‘the right treatment, for the right person, at the right time.’

The University regularly ‘refreshes’ courses to make sure they are as up-to-date as possible. The University calls this process 'academic revalidation’. This course is currently being ‘refreshed’, with changes being put in place for students entering from September 2019 onwards. Module selection may vary, for the most up-to-date course/ module information, please contact the Course Director.

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About this course

About

The course is designed as a Masters programme but it is credit-bearing and flexible, so you may also exit with a PgCert or PgDip at key points. Interested students are also welcome to undertake some of the individual modules as short courses.

Attendance

Fully Online

Start dates

Modules

Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

Year one

Introduction to Personalised Medicine & Pharmacogenomics

Year: 1

Status: C

This module seeks to develop students' knowledge of important and emerging areas within personalised medicine. It explores the role of pharmacogenetics developing an understanding of the molecular aspects of stratified medicine and creates a foundation for future learning in modules to follow. The module reviews the methods of biomarker discovery and translation and considers the issues surrounding personalised medicine research and its application into society.

Mathematical and Computational Methods

Year: 1

Status: C

This module establishes the fundamental concepts of data handling and analysis. Students will learn the fundamental mathematics required to process and analyse data and the fundamental programming concepts requried to implement analysis. This module will establish a critical level of literacy in applied mthematics and computing that is applicable across all quantitative sciences.

Clinical governance, regulatory processes and ethics

Year: 1

Status: C

This module is designed to provide an understanding of the importance of clinical and research ethics and governance. The module covers the regulatory processes involved in seeking research governance approval and provides students with an opportunity to complete an ethical review and to prepare a research ethics and governance application.

In Silico Genomic Proteomic & Metabolomic Analyses Methods

Year: 1

Status: C

This module provides an overview of in silico methods, theories and applications to study genes, proteins or metabolites. It will also provide students with an understanding of python.

Clinical Trials Design and Patient Recruitment

Year: 1

Status: C

This module is designed to provide students with the ability to critically evaluate clinical trial design, and in depth understanding of patient recruitment and the regulatory and ethical processes involved. The module will also provide students with the ability to critically appraise clinical trial analysis, reporting and quality assurance.

Clinical Decision Making and Diagnostic Theory

Year: 1

Status: C

This module details the regulatory and clinical guidance which is required to ensure the use of tests are evidence-based. Prognostic and clinical decision making theory are explored in consideration of current and future clinical applications for stratified medicine.

Biomedical Informatics

Year: 1

Status: C

This module develops essential skills, knowledge and understanding of biomedical informatics in relation to basic and applied research and practice. Providing an overview of biomedical informatics and its application.

Healthcare Economics and Innovation in Personalised Medicine

Year: 1

Status: C

This module will provide an overview of the vital importance of economics in healthcare provision, before considering the potential large scale economic benefits promised by personalised approaches to treatment. The effect that the emergence of personalised medicine is having on the economic and business models of big pharma, as well as regulatory agencies will also be addressed, as well the importance of entrepreneurship and small medium enterprises in driving forward healthcare innovation, especially within the personalised medicine space.

Research Project

Year: 1

Status: C

This module will allow student to undertake an in-depth project in a topic related to Stratified Medicine.

Entry conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.

Entry Requirements

Students will be considered for entry to the Masters course on an individual basis.

The basic entry requirements are outlined below:

Applicants must:

(a) have gained

a second class honours degree or better with significant bioscience (or biostatistics) such as nursing, biomedical sciences, biology, pharmacy from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma or an approved alternative qualification;

and

(b) provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent).

In exceptional circumstances, as an alternative to (a) (i) or (a) (ii) and/or (b), where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subject-specific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route. Evidence used to demonstrate graduate qualities may not be used for exemption against modules within the programme.

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicantsThe minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Teaching and learning assessment

Teaching and Learning

All course content will be delivered online, the course will be taught using a combination of lectures, tutorials and independent reading. Problem areas identified by students will be further explained during tutorials and lecture material will be supplemented with possible sources of reading material to encourage independent learning.

Assessment

Assessment will be by 100% coursework.The pass mark for the module and individual pieces of coursework is 50%. Coursework will consist of online tests, discussions and assignments.

Careers & opportunities

Career options

This course provides an academically challenging science education for those who wish to follow a career within the area of Stratified Medicine. Graduates may also choose to proceed to higher postgraduate degree programmes; including PhD. You may also undertake this online programme for your continued professional development within your individual area of employment and this may be for career enhancement.

Your future career will improve the quality of life of patients through better healthcare, and smarter technologies to treat and manage diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, neurological disorders, cancer or immune disease.

Apply

Start dates

Fees and funding

Fees (total cost)

Important notice - fees information
Fees illustrated are based on 18/19 entry and are subject to an annual increase. Correct at the time of publishing. Terms and conditions apply. Additional mandatory costs are highlighted where they are known in advance. There are other costs associated with university study.
Visit our Fees pages for full details of fees

Additional mandatory costs

Tuition fees and costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges), and normal living are a part of university life.

Where a course has additional mandatory expenses we make every effort to highlight them. These may include residential visits, field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering) inoculations, security checks, computer equipment, uniforms, professional memberships etc.

We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free wifi is also available on each of the campuses.

There will be some additional costs to being a student which cannot be itemised and these will be different for each student. You may choose to purchase your own textbooks and course materials or prefer your own computer and software. Printing and binding may also be required. There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines. Additional costs vary from course to course.

Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs as well as tuition fees.

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Testimonials

"This course was a fascinating introduction to the expanding field of personalized medicine. The blend of biomedical and computational modules provided me with an excellent foundation from which to develop my career in this area. There was a consistently good level of support from the academic staff throughout which makes a big difference when you're studying online. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in pursuing a career in bioinformatics or computational."

Gary Lonergan

"I found the MSc in Stratified Medicine was perfect for me following the completion of my undergraduate degree in biomedical science. The flexibility of distance learning and the structure of the assessments allowed me to work to my fullest potential whilst also adjusting to post-university life."